


Enough

by VeertjeD



Series: Lady Cocotte [2]
Category: Basic Instinct (Movies), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, Mænd & høns | Men & Chicken (2015)
Genre: EatTheRare, Gen, Hannibal Extended Universe, Harassment, Poor people, Trans Female Character, Transphobia, some drunk guys, what did I do to them?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 02:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15475869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeertjeD/pseuds/VeertjeD
Summary: Adam is going home after an evening at the cabaret. But he sees Lady Cocotte being harassed by some drunken guys and he tries to help. It doesn't go that well.





	Enough

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FlyingRotten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyingRotten/gifts).



> Please let me know if I should add other tags.  
> Not beta read, English not as first language.

Adam had been going to the Cabaret Danois for a month now. A bit more than three weeks. He tried to come at least two times a week, but in good weeks, good depending on who you asked, he or his wallet, he managed four times a week. And after the first night he always brought his sketchbook along. He probably was a bit of a rubbish professional for not having it on him on all time, but it was just inconvenient. But this, this he could not do without his own sketchbook and pens. Because his new muse should not be caught on paper with any less than the best. Now, he didn’t claim he owned the best material, but he worked the best with these, so these were the best. 

Lady Cocotte was the star of the cabaret. Adam had worked out that she was at least four evenings in the week in the building for a show. He had also spotted her just sitting in the corner next to the bar on other nights. Sometimes she could be convinced to sing a song on those nights. Her regular performances consisted of two different routines. Sometimes there was a small alteration here or there or they switched some stuff between the two, but Adam recognized every tune, song and dance by now. 

After the first night Adam took a bit more care about his alcohol intake, and switched to water or something non-alcohol early in the evening. This way he could concentrate on Lady Cocotte and on his drawings. Plus, it had the nice side effect of knowing the way back home with ease. He discovered a shortcut through an alley which took him to the back of the building. This street was smaller than the one at the front and it seemed like a lot of backdoors connected to this one. At night you could hear music and laughter coming from the many cafés. One of the benefits of the backdoors, was that there weren’t many people walking there. Adam was aware that this might not be the best place to be when alone at night. His desire to be alone with his thoughts after all the excitement in the cabaret won out more often than not however. 

It was on one of these evenings that something happened. He had just come out of the alley and was about to turn left, heading away from the building to the main street, that he heard shouting behind him. He didn’t pay it too much mind, because this wasn’t the first time he heard drunk guys at this time. Still, he turned around, because he wanted to keep a good distance between himself and them. When he looked back he saw indeed three guys walking down the road. They didn’t look super drunk, but enough to punch each other in the shoulder and to have no volume control. At the same time he saw someone coming out of the backdoor of the Cabaret Danois. Adam recognized her immediately, it was Lady Cocotte. 

The three guys started to whistle and catcall at her and as one they walked towards Lady Cocotte. She tried to ignore them and walk away, but before she could put distance between them they already were at her side. Only now it wasn’t catcalling anymore. Adam was aware that Lady Cocotte probably was trans, but that had never been on the forefront of his mind. She was simply amazing, and beyond that Adam was never really able to think. These guys however did seem to mind that his muse didn’t fit into their worldview. Now the guys were calling her ugly and laughing at her. Calling her a tranny and a guy. To his own shame Adam started to walk away. Lady Cocotte was bigger than all three of them and she had some muscles on her and looked resolute, she could handle them. Adam had never been good in confrontations, he was small, could be grumpy and bitchy, but was that any help during this? 

Adam just started to turn around when suddenly Lady Cocotte looked up and saw him standing there and a look of utter sadness crossed her face in a flash, then it became stoic again like it never happened. The shame Adam already felt just became tenfold worse. That was also the exact moment one of the guys suddenly made a grab for her skirt. Adam saw red and was in an instant next to the man and slapped his hand away. Now all the attention was on him. ‘Leave her the fuck alone!’ he managed to shout, but as soon as the last word left his mouth and he saw the slightly bemused and condescending looks on their faces he felt himself retract and curl in on himself. 

All the bravo had had felt for a second leaving him at once. And these guys weren’t picky, just looking for an easy target for their drunk minds to focus on, and that person had just shifted from Lady Cocotte to Adam. The same guy who had tried to grab the skirt now extended his hand towards the front of Adam’s shirt. Adam threw his hands before his head, his breath quickened and he could hear his blood rush in his ears. He was bracing for impact, but instead of being dragged forward like he had expected he felt two hands on his arms and he was being dragged backwards. While slowly lowering his arms, he was being greeted by a broad back before him. It took some time to register that Lady Cocotte had moved him behind her, and she was now shouting at the guys at a remarkable volume. What exactly she was saying Adam wasn’t able to understand. His breathing had only sped up and the rushing had become louder. When suddenly a door behind him opened he jumped and lost his footing. He fell sideward and connected hard with the street. 

Adam wasn’t sure if he had lost conscious but when he opened his eyes again he was greeted by a number of people standing over him with their expression pinched in concern. He couldn’t help but focus directly on Lady Cocotte crouched at his left, even though he also recognized the other people from the cabaret. Lady Cocotte laid her hand softly on his shoulder. ‘How are you feeling?’ Adam opened his mouth, when no sound came out he closed it again with a click. He was staring up at the sort of familiar people around him who were all looking at him. He could feel the warmth of the hand on his shoulder, but it didn’t ground him. It was too much. He had already spent a whole evening in a public space, then the fight and now Lady Cocotte right there together with all those other people. He scrambled up, dislodging the hand on his shoulder. The group taking a collective step back. Adam stood in the middle breathing too hard. Lady Cocotte came out of her crouch and also took a step back. ‘Maybe we could go all inside.’ She directed at the group at large. Then she made eye contact with Adam, ‘and you can lay down again for a bit.’ 

The bunch started to go back inside. Adam couldn’t break the eye contact. Lady Cocotte smiled gently and started to come closer again. As soon as her hand made again contact with his shoulder he started to tear up. He had felt the burning behind his eyes, but now the tears escaped. He just wanted to go home. He saw Lady Cocotte’s eyes widen and he just knew she would be going in to give him a hug. He just wanted to go home and be away from all this attention. With a jerk he turned around, dislodging the hand for the second time that evening and he started to run, not looking back. He tried really hard not to cry more until he was home. As soon as he had closed the door behind him he remembered that he had left his bag with his sketchbook and pens on the street where he had dropped it. He took the few extra steps to his bedroom and started punching the cushion on his bed. Finally allowing himself to cry.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a longer thing with a happy ending, but I knew I wouldn't finish it before the end of the #EatTheRare week, so this will be my first two-chapter story.


End file.
